Checklist · Community & Home Care
Infection Control PPE Donning and Doffing Checklist
Step-by-step checklist for putting on (donning) and taking off (doffing) PPE for standard and transmission-based precautions: hand hygiene, gown or apron, mask or respirator, eye protection, gloves and safe disposal.
34 checklist items · Last reviewed
Checklist Items
| Item | Pass / Yes | Fail / No |
|---|---|---|
| DETAILS | ||
| Date | ||
| Worker Name | ||
| Client / Location | ||
| Precautions Required (standard / contact / droplet / airborne) | ||
| Observed By (if a competency check) | ||
| BEFORE YOU START | ||
| Precautions for this client confirmed from the care plan or signage | Pass | Fail |
| Correct PPE available, in your size, and undamaged | Pass | Fail |
| Hair tied back; jewellery and watch removed; cuts covered | Pass | Fail |
| Clean area chosen to put PPE on, and an area to take it off near the exit | Pass | Fail |
| Waste bag ready for used PPE | Pass | Fail |
| DONNING (PUTTING ON) | ||
| 1. Hand hygiene with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub | Pass | Fail |
| 2. Gown or apron on, fully covering the front and tied | Pass | Fail |
| 3. Mask or P2/N95 respirator on, covering nose and chin | Pass | Fail |
| 4. Respirator fit check done (if a respirator is worn) | Pass | Fail |
| 5. Protective eyewear or face shield on | Pass | Fail |
| 6. Gloves on last, pulled over the gown cuffs | Pass | Fail |
| DURING CARE | ||
| Hands kept away from face, mask and eyewear | Pass | Fail |
| Gloves changed between tasks and if torn or heavily soiled | Pass | Fail |
| PPE not worn outside the care area or between clients | Pass | Fail |
| DOFFING (TAKING OFF) | ||
| 1. Gloves off without touching the outside with bare skin | Pass | Fail |
| 2. Hand hygiene | Pass | Fail |
| 3. Gown or apron off, rolled inside-out away from the body | Pass | Fail |
| 4. Hand hygiene | Pass | Fail |
| 5. Eyewear or face shield off by the arms or headband | Pass | Fail |
| 6. Mask or respirator off by the ties or straps, without touching the front | Pass | Fail |
| 7. Hand hygiene | Pass | Fail |
| DISPOSAL & CLEAN-UP | ||
| Single-use PPE placed straight into the waste bag | Pass | Fail |
| Waste bag sealed and disposed of per your organisation’s waste procedure | Pass | Fail |
| Reusable eyewear cleaned and disinfected per the manufacturer | Pass | Fail |
| Final hand hygiene before leaving the home or getting into the car | Pass | Fail |
| OUTCOME & SIGN-OFF | ||
| Issues noted (e.g. PPE shortage, breach, wrong size) | ||
| Exposure or breach reported to supervisor | Yes | No |
| Worker Signature | ||
| Observer Signature (if a competency check) | ||
How to use this checklist
When to use it
Use it to train new workers, for periodic competency checks, and as a prompt at the door when a client is on transmission-based precautions. Standard precautions (hand hygiene, plus PPE matched to the expected contact with blood or body fluids) apply to every client. Contact, droplet and airborne precautions add PPE on top. The client’s care plan or your infection prevention team should say which apply.
Who completes it
The carer or support worker, observed by a trained colleague, team leader or infection control lead when it is used as a competency check.
If an item fails
If PPE is missing, the wrong size or damaged, don’t start care that needs it. Call your coordinator. If you touch your face or contaminated PPE with bare skin, do hand hygiene straight away and report it as a possible exposure. The sequence here follows common practice in the Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare (NHMRC). Your organisation’s infection prevention policy may vary it, for example removing gown and gloves together. Follow your policy where it differs.